News Release

Northeast Reclaimed Water Off Through Beginning of February

ST. PETERSBURG, FL (January 31, 2017) – After required lab-studies showed minimal levels of fecal coliform in reclaimed water from the Northeast Water Reclamation Facility during January, operators have stopped supplying water to the city’s reclaimed system. The stoppage will likely last through the beginning of February. The stoppage was required to meet Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) guidelines which require zero levels of fecal coliform in 75 percent of that month’s reclaimed daily water samples.

“This is not a spill and there is no cause for alarm,” stated Charles Wise, Water Reclamation manager for the city’s Water Resources department. “This gives us an opportunity to get down to a non-detect level again.”

As of this past weekend, tests showed one or two CFU’s during eight days in January. Plant operators point to annual maintenance issues and some minor repairs as possible causes for the positive test results. Detection of these colony-forming units, or CFUs, in reclaimed water samples is not unusual. Wise says samples taken from a residential bathroom or kitchen counter would likely produce positive results.

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